Electromagnetic container



June 3, 1941. J MQRAVECKY 2,244,371

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTAINER Filed Nov. l,- 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l Fig I g 2INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS June 3, 1941. F. J. MORAVECKY ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTAINER FiledNov. 1, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 2 2 m l m 1 5 I. I'"" HI 000000 00 000 I VP4 7 00000 00 III INVENTOR. q

la 7". BY ATTORNEYS June 3, 1941.

F. J. MORAVECKY 2,244,371

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTAINER Filed Nov. 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 \x it i45l g INVENTOR.

V. pwz m BY BMW, (2% 747$ ATTORNEYS Patented June 3, 1941 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTAINER Frank J. Moravecky, BeaverFalls, Pa.

Application November 1, 1940, Serial No. 363,919

6 Claims.

This invention relates to containers for charging materials into metalmelting furnaces such as cupolas and the like.

In the operation of a cupola charges are introduced by a chargingcontainer which, in some of its forms, is filled with layers or strataof fuel and the like, then positioned over the cupola and the chargereleased by opening a separable bottom. Containers of this type includeelements, such as interior bars or cables to operate the separablebottom, which prevent a complete discharge of the material and furtherdisarrange its desired stratification. Also, the complete charge is notsimultaneously released, which further disrupts the Stratification.Additionally undesirable is the special mechanism sometimes used to openthe separable bottom, some containers requiring a special support on thecupola walls to hold the container when the bottom is being opened.

It is an object of my invention to provide a cupola or similar furnacecharging container of simple construction which, without a separablebottom or other charge disrupting elements, releases its contentsuniformly and in the proper sequence, and maintains the desiredStratification of the charge of material after discharge.

The charging container provided according to my invention comprises aunitary wall and bottom adapted to receive a charge which may, andusually does, consist of non-magnetic material such as fuel, andmagnetic material such as iron or steel, the latter forming the upperportion of the charge in the container. The container also includes anelectromagnet adapted when energized to retain the magnetic materialwithin the container when the latter is inverted, and as a consequencethereof to retain its content of non-magnetic material which is thenuppermost. When the electromagnet is deenergized, the entire charge isreleased and falls into a cupola in its intended stratified form.

The container is preferably pivotally supported by a bail which engagestrunnions that are so positioned that, when the container is empty, itscenter of gravity lies below, and that, when the container is suppliedwith a charge, its center of gravity lies above the trunnions. Thus,when the container is empty or only partly filled and is free to pivoton its trunnions, its open top lies uppermost, and when it is filled andfree to pivot its open top lies lowermost. The container is providedwith latch mechanism to retain a charged container with its open topuppermost until it is desired to invert it preliminary to deenergizingthe electromagnet to permit the charge to fall into a cupola.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig.1 is a side view of the container showing a latch used to hold thecontainer in an upright position; Fig. 2 a horizontal sectional viewtaken along line 11-11 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a plan view of the container;Fig. 4 a vertical section on line IVIV of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 a verticalcentral sectional view of a cupola associated with a charging containerembodying my invention.

Having reference to the illustrative embodiment of my invention shownbest in Figs. 1 to 4, the container comprises an outer wall I, an innerwall 2, a bottom 3, and an electromagnet 4 disposed between the outerand inner walls and connected to an electric circuit by a cable 5. Toutilize the maximum efiiciency of the electromagnet, the outer wall andthe bottom are formed of magnetic material, while the inner wall isformed of non-magnetic material. Further, the container may be providedat its top with a ring 6 for closing the compartment containing aelectromagnet, an inside ring 1 extending upwardly from bottom 3, and aring 8 forming part of the inner wall of the container and extending tothe same height as ring I, all three of these rings being formed ofmagnetic material.

A container constructed in this manner is especially adapted to befilled with fuel, such as coke, or other non-magnetic material,substantially to the height of ring 1, and the remainder filled withiron, steel or other magnetic material. When the electromagnet isenergized, there will then be a conductance of magnetic lines of forcefrom the top ring 6 through outer wall I, bottom 3, rings 8 and I, andthe magnetic portion of the charge. The inner wall 2 being formed ofnon-magnetic material, the magnetic lines of force difiused in themagnetic portion of the charge are not dissipated by conductance throughwall 2, and thus the container utilizes substantially the full power ofthe electromagnet.

The container is pivotally suspended by a bail 9 which engages trunnionsI0, and cable I I which engages the bail. The positioning of thetrunnions is an additional feature of the invention and provides anefiicient and economical way of inverting the container. Accordingly,the trunnions are placed in a position on the container which is belowthe center of gravity of the container when filled with a charge butabove the center of gravity when empty.

Latches l2 are provided for holding the container in an upright orinverted position as desired. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the latchescomprise hasps I3, one of which is attached near the open top and theother near the bottom of the container. These hasps are grooved toreceive the forward end of a bolt M, which is bifurcated near its frontend to form two prongs which pass on opposite sides of bail 9 on whichit is pivotally mounted by a pin 15. A cable i6 loops about a cross barI? and passes over pulleys to a control cab 3| of a charging carrier 38(Fig. 5), to be described later. To cause the container to invert, cableI 6 is pulled upwardly to swing the bolt from engagement with the haspdisposed near the open top of the container. After the container isinverted, it being desired to hold it in such position, cable it isreleased and a counterweight I8 raises the forward end of bolt 14 intoengagement with the other base. This latch is merely a practical exampleof mechanism to hold the container in a desired position and is notintended to limit the invention in any way.

The operation of a container embodying my invention may be more fullyunderstood by reference to Fig. 5 which shows the container after it hasbeen carried to and aligned with the cupola, and inverted. The mechanismfor lifting and moving the container from place to place forms no partof this invention, and since its construction is well known to thoseskilled in this art, it need not be described in detail. Generally, suchmechanism consists of a carrier 38 which carries a cab 3| and moves on atrack 32. The controls for the carrier as well as the controls forpositioning the container and operating the latch mechanism are arrangedin the cab for convenient manipulation by an operator. The container issuspended from the carrier by cable H which passes over a system ofpulleys and into the control cab and is thus borne by the carrier to aconvenient charging floor. Before the container is charged, the bail ofthe container is engaged by the latch so as to retain the chargedcontainer with its open top uppermost. The container is loaded with acharge of magnetic and non-magnetic material in the manner described,and, when loaded, returned by the carrier 33 to the cupol-a,horizontally aligned with the cupola bed, and vertically positioned bylengthening or shortening the cable H. The electromagnet is thenenergized by current flowing through cable 5, and the latch disengagedto allow the container to invert. The electromagne then maintains thecharge of material in a suspended state in the container. After the boltof the latch is brought into engagement with the bottom hasp theelectromagnet is deenergized, and the charge of material uniformly, inproper sequence, and without obstruction by any interior bars or cablesof the container, drops into the cupola.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained therinciple and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated anddescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However,I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A container for charging material into metal melting furnaces and thelike, the container comprising a side wall, a bottom, and anelectromagnet surrounding the side wall adapted when energized tomaintain a magnetic charge in the container when inverted, and torelease said charge when deenergized.

2. A container for charging material into metal melting furnaces and thelike, the container comprising a side wall, a bottom, means to suspendsaid container including trunnions positioned below the center ofgravity of the container when filled with a charge, a bail engaging saidtrunnions, releasable means to hold said container in an uprightposition, and an electromagnet adapted when energized to maintain acharge of magnetic material in the container when inverted, and torelease said charge when deenergized.

3. A container for charging material into metal melting furnaces and thelike, the container comprising a side wall, a bottom, means to suspendsaid container including trunnions positioned below the center ofgravity of the container when filled with a charge, a bail engaging saidtrunnions, releasable latches on said container to engage said bail andto hold the container in an upright position, and an electromagnetadapted when energized to maintain a charge of magnetic material in thecontainer when inverted, and to release said charge when deenergized.

4. A container for charging material into metal melting furnaces and thelike, the container comprising outer and inner walls, said outer wallbeing composed of magnetic and said inner wall of non-magnetic material,an electromagnet dis-- posed between said outer and inner walls, and aring of magnetic material spanning the width between the tops of saidouter and inner walls, the container having a bottom formed of magneticmaterial.

5. A container for charging material into metal melting furnaces and thelike, the container comprising outer and inner walls, said outer wallbeing composed of magnetic and said inner wall of non-magnetic material,an electromagnet disposed between said outer and inner walls, a ring ofmagnetic material spanning the width between the tops of said outer andinner walls, the container having a bottom formed of magnetic material,and a ring of magnetic material extending upwardly from the centralportion of said bottom to form a magnetic conductance path through thecentral portion of the charge.

6. A container for charging material into metal melting furnaces and thelike, the container comprising outer and inner walls, said outer wallbeing composed of magnetic and said inner wall of non-magnetic material,an electromagnet disposed between said outer and inner walls, a ring ofmagnetic material spanning the width between the tops of said outer andinner walls, the container having a bottom formed of magnetic material,a ring of magnetic material extending upwardly from the central portionof said bottom to form a magnetic conductance path through the centralportion of the charge, means to suspend said container includingtrunnions positioned below the center of gravity of said container whenfilled with a charge, a bail engaging said trunnions, and latches toengage said bail and to hold said container in an upright position.

FRANK J. MORAVECKY.

